WATCH THIS SPACE FOR MORE UPDATES ON OUR OUTDOOR CLASSROOM
Term 4
Outdoor Classroom
In the last two weeks Jake and I have planted approx 50 Native shrubs and trees around the outdoor classroom. Jake and some of the children have also put the bridge in. The children are already enjoying the space. Community, parents, whanau we would like your help to teach and remind your children about Respecting our environment this amazing space is for all of us to use and it is far from being finished.
We have lots on the calendar to do this term, our first project will be putting an order in for sun sun sun so we can get on to finishing of our outdoor classroom.
Our second project is building the outdoor greenhouse, we managed to collect around 400 bottles through school and Cococola have donated a large amount of bottles.
Our second project is building the outdoor greenhouse, we managed to collect around 400 bottles through school and Cococola have donated a large amount of bottles.
Whats been happening
Well where do I start, the senior playground has been painted and looks fantastic. Allied Tree Services donated 9 metres of bark for our gardens, we hosted a trapping workshop for Department of Conservation which some of students attended, weeds have been pulled, plants have been planted.
Its been so wet Jake and the Eco crowd have not been able to get back into the outdoor classroom, so here hoping term 4 will be better for us.
Its been so wet Jake and the Eco crowd have not been able to get back into the outdoor classroom, so here hoping term 4 will be better for us.
Matariki
We celebrated Matariki by planting a new tree a native Karamu on the field. It will grow 6 metres which will be a great shade tree in years to come. We are hoping to see lots of native birds coming to feast on the juicy berries when it gets bigger. We all crowded around on a cold wet day Pa Jase said a Karakia, we had the smallest and oldest student in the school help to plant it.
Dry River Bed
The digging started on fine day in the corner of our school - our very own dry river bed. Students raced out with wheel barrows and spades to start the dig. Once that was done the river rocks came in and the cement was made. Students laid the stones down making sure the cement was stuck around them. The pathway has been laid with 2 different types of sand, and bark this will give you a different feeling under your feet when you walk on it.
FINALLY IT'S STARTED
Friday 9 June 2017, 9.30 in the morning the machine started and the first cut was made. Our Outdoor Classroom has started. We were lucky to receive funding from Trellian Trust to design and create our very own Outdoor Classroom. Room 15 and several other in students in the school learnt how to roll up grass and relocate it to another area of the school where the grass and died and was a dirt patch. They rolled, heaved, carried, stomped, got muddy, dirty, wet however over all had lots of fun.
CHANGE MAKERS
Term 2 we have a whole school theme called CHANGE MAKERS / AGENTS OF CHANGE. We are learning a lot about our earth and how we can make changes to save it from pollution, waste and death of a planet. We are participating in science experiments about making changes. We have lots of changes in our garden so we decided to make a sign about all the things we do there. It rests at the beginning of the pathway down to the garden.
THE BEGINNING OF OUR JOURNEY
The Kaupapa and processes of Enviro schools support the vision, values and principles of The New Zealand Curriculum. Together they can empower and enable individuals, families and schools to create healthy, peaceful and sustainable communities.
As part of our Enviro Schools approach we actively encourage and promote Litterless lunches, everyone is challenged to bring lunches which contained no wrappings, glad-wrap, plastic or foil wrappers because these are not recyclable or reuse-able.
This it is a great way we can all help our environment. We have worm bins for food waste (except for citrus, e.g. oranges, lemons and mandarin and their skins).
WHAT DO WE DO?
Reducing waste by recycling paper and cardboard, plastic, and all food waste
Encouraging litterless lunches
Composting green waste
Keeping our school grounds clean and attractive
Tree plantings
Learning life-long gardening skills
Plant propagation
Worm farms
Compost making
Raising plants for the‘Trees for Survival’community project
Planting vegetable gardens
Planting fruit trees.
Our Garden of Eden
Two weeks ago we had our first Produce Market at school selling all sorts of vegetables and apples. It was a huge success and we were able to purchase more seedlings for the garden, seed mix and materials for our latest project the worm farm.
Some environmental issues you might like to discuss with your children.
• What is the environment?
• What is pollution?
• What do we do to help the environment?
• What does our family do to help the environment?
• What do you think are the biggest problems the environment faces?
• What does respect for the environment mean?
• How can you show respect for the environment?
As part of our Enviro Schools approach we actively encourage and promote Litterless lunches, everyone is challenged to bring lunches which contained no wrappings, glad-wrap, plastic or foil wrappers because these are not recyclable or reuse-able.
This it is a great way we can all help our environment. We have worm bins for food waste (except for citrus, e.g. oranges, lemons and mandarin and their skins).
WHAT DO WE DO?
Reducing waste by recycling paper and cardboard, plastic, and all food waste
Encouraging litterless lunches
Composting green waste
Keeping our school grounds clean and attractive
Tree plantings
Learning life-long gardening skills
Plant propagation
Worm farms
Compost making
Raising plants for the‘Trees for Survival’community project
Planting vegetable gardens
Planting fruit trees.
Our Garden of Eden
Two weeks ago we had our first Produce Market at school selling all sorts of vegetables and apples. It was a huge success and we were able to purchase more seedlings for the garden, seed mix and materials for our latest project the worm farm.
Some environmental issues you might like to discuss with your children.
• What is the environment?
• What is pollution?
• What do we do to help the environment?
• What does our family do to help the environment?
• What do you think are the biggest problems the environment faces?
• What does respect for the environment mean?
• How can you show respect for the environment?